Information About Your Course(s)

Course Fees and Enrolment for Community Learning Courses  

The following is a summary of how learners enrol and what learners pay to join your course. Full details are in the course brochure. 

In the PCDL Brochure Programme, places can only be confirmed on courses once completion of  the enrolment form and payment has been received. Learners can enrol for PCDL courses online  24/7 via the adult learning website at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/adultlearning.  

In the targeted programmes, learners may be signed up in partnership with a school or organisation  and may enrol prior to the course online or on the day. Courses within the Family Learning, NLDC,  Learn2b and Here4u programmes are fully funded so are free to learners.  

The service also offers courses that lead to qualifications and these are funded  differently. Learners need to fulfil certain eligibility requirements if they are to receive the  course free of charge and the skills coordinators will oversee this as part of the induction  process. If you are a tutor delivering a course leading to a qualification and you are not sure  about a learner’s eligibility – for example a learner who already has a grade C in English  cannot be funded to undertake a Level 2 in Functional Skills English – please contact your  coordinator.  

PCDL Course Fees  

All learners pay a registration fee of £5.00 per course which is included in the course fee.  

The current standard course fee for tuition is £5.50 per hour. In some courses, some additional  costs are included in the course fee.  

Examination fees are charged separately unless otherwise stated.  

Subject to the availability of funding, some learners may be entitled to a remitted fee which is 30%  of the standard rate i.e. £1.65 an hour. A learner can claim this if they are in receipt of, or are the  dependant of someone who receives certain benefits. Please see the information on the  Northamptonshire Adult Learning website for update to date information.  www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/adultlearning  

Non-EU and non-eligible learners will pay £8.20 per hour  

Fees may change during the academic year.  

PCDL Refunds  

Cooling off period cancellations  

There is a 14 day cooling off period which commences the day the learner is enrolled on the  system, not from the start date of the course. 

During this period the learner will have the right to cancel the course and obtain a full refund. Once  the cooling off period has expired there is no obligation to make any refund. If the start date of your  course occurs during the cooling off period learners will not be entitled to a refund.  

Refunds relating to learner medical condition  

Refunds for leaving a course due to a learner’s medical condition will only be given on proof of a  doctor’s certificate. The learner will receive a proportional refund of the fees paid in relation to the  number of classes remaining. The refund will be dealt with from the date the doctor confirms the  learner’s medical condition. 

Course Cancellation  

For details of payment to sessional staff following course cancellation, please see the section  ‘Payment for Cancelled Courses’ within ‘Finance Processes and Information’.  

Although tutors can monitor enrolments for their course(s) on the Adult Learning website or by  contacting Business Support, you should not make any decisions yourself as to the viability of your  course.  

In the PCDL (Brochure Programme) enrolment numbers are reviewed by the curriculum team,  three weeks before the course start date. Decisions on the viability of courses are based on  enrolment numbers, course running costs and other relevant factors.  

In targeted programmes where recruitment is through partner organisations such as schools or  voluntary organisations, enrolment does not take place until the start of the course, therefore the  cancellation review is done after the course has started. Learner numbers will be reviewed by  curriculum coordinators throughout the duration of the course to ascertain whether the course will  continue to run dependent on learner numbers. Learners will be contacted by the partner  organisation if the course is cancelled where possible.  

Learn2b and Here4u will, where possible, advise at least two weeks prior to the course start date  of any cancellations where pre-enrolment has taken place. However, within this programme where  partner work is carried out there may be a need to review the course viability once numbers have  been identified at the start of the course.  

If a course is cancelled, the tutor and teaching assistant are informed by the curriculum coordinator.  We do not inform tutors and teaching assistants if the course is running, so you should assume  that you will be teaching or supporting according to your contract. You should not accept any  alternative work until you have been advised that your course has been cancelled.  

During the course: If a course is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances (such as venue  cancellation), the learners will be contacted by Business Support. The tutor and the teaching  assistant will then be contacted and advised of the cancellations and of any learners that they were  unable to contact. Wherever possible the session will be added to the end (dependant on tutor and  venue availability) 

Adverse Weather Conditions and Pandemic (including further COVID-19  restrictions)  

In the event of adverse weather or pandemic we would inevitably have to cancel sessions. To ensure  that our service is consistent in our approach to Health and Safety, we have put in place the following  procedures:  

In the event of adverse weather conditions: If schools start to close, all Adult Learning classroom  based sessions will be cancelled (this includes non school venues).  

Pandemic, including future restrictions from COVID-19  

In the event of increased restrictions with COVID-19, or any other pandemic, Adult Learning  classroom based provision will be restricted based on government and NNC guidelines.  

Tutors will be advised by text, phone call or email if classroom provision has to close. A message  will also be put on the website. Please check your work email on a regular basis as updates will be  shared by a bulletin to all staff.  

We will endeavour to reschedule the cancelled sessions wherever possible. If we are unable to do  so, we will refund the learners for the cancelled sessions.  

How learners will be contacted:  

Tutors teaching PCDL, Learn2b, Here4u and pre booked qualification courses:  Business Support will contact your learners to advise of cancellations in respect of courses.  

Tutors teaching partner based Family Learning and NLDC courses: Partner  organisations will advise learners of cancellation in respect of Family Learning NLDC  courses unless otherwise advised. 

Where possible, to enable learners to keep learning, tutors may be asked to:  

- Email handouts, links or other work to learners in the short term to allow them to learn at  home.  

- Move session content online where possible, using the VLEs already in place.  

Where content cannot be moved online, courses will either be postponed or cancelled. Your  curriculum coordinator will contact you with further information about your course. Please also  check your work email on a regular basis as essential communication will be sent out by a bulletin.  

Further information around school closures can be found Northamptonshire School Closures  web page.